Fuel-card users urged to check registrations

STUTTGART, Germany — Vehicle owners in Germany are being urged to update their vehicle registrations if necessary by May 22 to include all future users of AAFES fuel cards.

The debit-like cards, which later this year will replace the paper coupons currently used to buy fuel, can only be used by family members who are registered through U.S. Army Europe to use the vehicle.

Vehicle owners are asked to check their registrations to make sure the names and identification numbers of future fuel card-users are current on the registrations.

For example, if only a husband is listed on the registration, but his wife also uses the car, he would need to register the wife’s name and Social Security number or passport number on the registration. The same would apply to children who are eligible to drive the vehicle.

If the information on the registration is complete, there would be no need to update it, according to Dave Mattingly, the fuel-ration card program manager for Installation Management Command Europe.

“At least look at the registration certificate for accuracy,” Mattingly said. “If all that information is (accurate), there will be no need to come in (by May 22) and make changes.”

Information on hand by May 22 will be used to make and issue fuel cards to vehicle owners as the cards are phased in and coupons phased out throughout Germany beginning May 27.

The bulk of fuel cards will be issued by mail from July through December at military communities throughout Germany.

Those who newly register a vehicle after June 1 will be directed by their registration offices to local Army and Air Force Exchange Service locations, such as a Shoppette, where they can obtain a fuel card.

Fuel coupons are used at gas stations on the German economy to buy fuel at U.S. prices, which are typically half or less what is charged at the German pumps.

The new fuel-card system was mandated by the German government to track the monthly purchases of U.S.-priced fuel. Most privately owned vehicles of Defense Department personnel are limited to 400 liters per month purchased at U.S. prices on the Germany economy.

Vehicle owners who do not update the information by May 22 will have to do it from scratch when they renew their registration or when fuel card rollout teams come to their communities.

“We’re all about minimizing the time people have to wait in line for this,” Mattingly said.

Fuel card rollout dates

More information on the Fuel Ration Card.

Dates when AAFES teams will be on hand to facilitate fuel-card activations. The fuel cards are expected to be mailed to recipients shortly before the rollout teams arrive in the communities:

Ansbach/Illesheim: July 7-20

Baumholder: July 14-26

Bamberg: July 14-26

Spangdahlem: July 28-Aug. 24

Geilenkirchen: Aug. 4-10

Vilseck: Aug. 11-24

Grafenwöhr: Aug. 25-Sept. 7

Schweinfurt: Aug. 25-Sept. 7

Hohenfels: Sept. 8-14

Stuttgart (Panzer): Sept. 8-21

Wiesbaden: Sept. 15-Oct. 12

Stuttgart (Patch): Sept. 22-Oct. 5